Recently, the consuming public has been convinced of the value of fire and burglar alarm protection to the end that a substantial industry now exists in manufacturing products for installation in residential, commercial and industrial environments. Even more recently, research has indicated that the older fire detector which comprised a heat sensor, was of extremely limited utility. More particularly, it has been found that fires can be life threatening without ever significantly raising the ambient air temperature. Smoke or combustion products of the fire can threaten life. The industry has responded to this knowledge by introducing into the market detectors for combustion products, per se. Known detectors operate on optical or ionization principles at relatively low cost.
The need for providing fire and intrusion protection are recognized as evidenced by the commercial success of the industry in selling and installing their products. However, these products have typically been of the type requiring permanent installation, thus, while individuals are travelling, and staying temporarily in a hotel or motel, such protection is not available to them unless the hotel or motel in which they are staying has installed such devices. Significantly, the number of hotels and motels with such protection is relatively small. Furthermore, when individuals are travelling in a camper or trailer, which has the characteristics of a residence, typically it, too, will not be protected.
While the art has recognized the advantage of portable personal protective devices to give, for example, fire protection or to give intrusion protection, there is no suggestion in the prior art of a versatile, portable and adaptable device which can be used to give protection from a variety of dangers which is effective and also usable in a variety of configurations and locations. For example, Demers (U.S. Pat. No. 295,366), Callahan (U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,029) and Fegley (U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,012) all disclose self-contained intrusion protection devices. Similar devices with the added feature of portability are disclosed by Trafford (U.S. Pat. No. 1,112,576), Kardel (U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,010) and Barber (U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,333). Finally, Detweiler (U.S. Pat. No. 2,816,280) discloses a portable fire alarm. While these devices appear to be effective to perform their intended functions, they fail to suggest the extent of versatility, both in terms of function as well as in terms of application which appear to be desirable.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a self-contained personal protective device which can provide the enhanced fire protection associated with a combustion product sensor and will also optionally provide intrusion detection. It is another object of the present invention to provide such a device which is adapted to be employed in temporarily occupied residential type units such as hotels, motels or campers. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device which is adapted to be mounted in a variety of locations such as on a door, window, curtain rod, or generally supported by any horizontally or vertically oriented lip-type surface. It is a further object of the invention to further increase the adaptability and versatility of the device by providing access for energization by external sensors to provide the capability of energizing external warning devices. For example, in a hotel or motel type situation, an individual might well desire to have combustion product sensing functions for the room he occupies, but would also like to have a heat sensor sensing heat in a common passageway external to the occupied room. Similarly, combustion product sensing in combination with a remote switch type sensor appears desirable. As another example, an optional accessory comprising a visible warning device can be employed which is especially useful for persons with impaired hearing.